A majority of working Americans believes their children are going to be worse off economically than they are.
Eight out of ten families believe the working class is falling behind.
Sixty-three percent believe the U.S. economy is on the wrong track.
These findings are from a survey of 800 non-supervisory workers across America. Lake Research Partners conducted the poll for the
Change to Win federation of unions. The Teamsters Union is a partner in this one-year-old federation. Our focus is on re-energizing American labor by organizing workers who have never been unionized in the past. They are in every industry, every community and are increasingly marginalized by an economy and a government that focuses on shareholders over wage earners, rich over poor and profitability over social responsibility.
The complete survey is available on the Change to Win site and I would encourage anyone interested in the state of the American worker to take a look at it and quote from it liberally.
Some key findings include:
When asked what concerns them the most, "jobs and the economy" ranked highest, with 19 percent of the respondents choosing that option. The next most common concern was "energy and gas prices," 11 percent. The Iraq war was third, tied with "moral values" at 10 percent.
When asked specifically about economic concerns, the majority of workers, 34 percent, said "wages not keeping up with the cost of living" was their primary concern. This was followed by "rising gas prices," 29 percent, and "rising health care costs," 27 percent.
Fifty-one percent believe their children will be worse off economically.
And when asked to describe their feelings about their financial future, 31 percent were "cautious," 20 percent were "worried," 5 percent were "disappointed," 4 percent were "angry" and 1 percent was "sad." Only 26 percent were "optimistic."
The majority also reported a negative outlook for the national economy: Forty-three percent believe the economy will "increasingly decline," while 22 percent foresee "stagnation."
Still 51 percent believe the American Dream is obtainable. And while their definitions of "the American Dream" varied, their expectations were not unreasonable.
The majority, 37 percent, equated the American Dream with having a good job, making a "comfortable" living free of debt or financial insecurity. Nearly one in four said the American Dream is having personal freedom, opportunity and promise. While 15 percent said the American Dream is homeownership or having a good place to live.
Only 1 percent equated the American Dream with affluence and wealth.
When asked to rate what was important for reaching the American Dream, "Being proud of the work you do," ranked highest, followed by "Being able to ensure your children have a good future," and "Having affordable quality health care" and "Owning your own home" tying for third.
Finally, 85 percent agreed with the statement: "If working people got more politically active things could be changed for the better." Clear majorities also believed that their lives would be better if they joined together in industry associations or unions (78 percent and 68 percent, respectively). And 86 percent believed everyone should have the right to join a union, without fear of retribution or intimidation from their employers.
Unfortunately, the rules are stacked against unions and workplace intimidation is commonplace. And increasingly, Americans are accepting as fact corporate lies about unions.
But here's the truth:
- Better wages: On average, wages of union members are 27 percent higher than those of nonunion workers. While union workers are better off than nonunion workers, women and minorities especially benefit from union representation:
- Women in unions earn an extra $170 a week - $9,000 more a year;
- African Americans in unions earn an extra $150 a week - $8,000 more a year; and
- Latinos in unions earn an extra $225 a week - $11,650 more a year.
- Better health care: 81 percent of union workers have job-related health coverage, while only 50 percent of nonunion workers do. Union families pay 43 percent less for family coverage than nonunion families - that's a savings of $1,000 a year.
- Better pensions: 72 percent of union workers have a guaranteed, defined benefit pension, compared to only 15 percent of nonunion workers.
This Labor Day, consider how you can support Organized Labor. Not just with lip service, but with action. Take a stand against companies that treat their workers poorly, consider offering union benefits to your employees, or
contact a local union organizer about strengthening your voice in the work place.
The American Dream doesn't have to fade away.